POSITIVE Global Customer Service Model

POSITIVE Global Customer Service Model – Serving Diverse Customers

The following acronym (POSITIVE) provides some strategies for creating or contributing to a positive global service environment and building strong relationships with your customers. It provides a model to move you from good customer service to the best customer service possible.

Put your best foot forward. Maintain a positive approach to situations involving customers, smile frequently, and have a “can-do” attitude. When dealing with customers and potential customers, never forget that they are your reason for employment.

Offer whatever level of assistance possible. In addressing customer needs and wants, go out of your way to uncover and resolve problems and to build a strong customer-provider relationship.

Stay abreast of current industry trends and strategies for delivering quality customer service. By upgrading your knowledge and skills regularly, you will be prepared to address any type of customer situation.

Identify true customer needs by listening to proactively. You have two ears and one mouth. Use them accordingly.

Take the time to get to know more about your customers. The more you know, the better you can provide quality service.

Invite your customers to open up and share information. Ask open-ended questions (e.g. Who, What, When, How, Why, and To What Extent) that typically lead to more detailed responses from others.

Verify understanding. When a customer provides information, ensure that you heard and understood it correctly before responding. Use closed-ended (typically start with an action verb) to gather this information.

Engage in relationship-building strategies immediately. Use strong interpersonal communication skills. Start with a smile (on your face and in your voice and words) and a professional greeting when meeting customers face-to-face, over the telephone or in an email. If something goes wrong, immediately start on a course of service recovery with a sincere apology and taking steps to “make the customer whole” again with any appropriate compensation.

Source: Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service across Cultures, Lucas. R.W., McGraw-Hill Professional, New York, NY (2011).
——————————–
Bob Lucas B.S., M.A., M.A, CPLP is principal in Robert W. Lucas Enterprises, Inc and an internationally-known author and learning and performance professional. He has written and contributed to thirty-one books and compilations. He regularly conducts creative training, train-the-trainer, customer service, interpersonal communication and management, and supervisory skills workshops. Learn more about Bob and his organization at www.robertwlucas.com and follow his blogs at www.robertwlucas.com/wordpress, www.customerserviceskillsbook.com, and www.thecreativetrainer.com. Like Bob at www.facebook.com/robertwlucasenterprises

7 Customer Service Trends That Impact Expectations

7 Trends in Customer Service Expectations

7 Customer Service Trends That Impact Expectations

Due to the rapidly changing world in which we live, customer expectations continue to shift dramatically in the 21st century. In many instances, trends in customer service expectations are being driven by the pervasiveness of technology, especially social media.  The following are some of the customer service trends that I have identified by talking to workshop attendees, customers, friends, and conducting a survey of available research and publications. These trends have a powerful impact on customer expectations.

  1. 24/7/365 mentality. Today’s customers expect that they can get what they want, how they want it and when they want if twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and three hundred and sixty-five days a year. When service and product providers are not available or cannot meet this expectation, customers simply go to a competitor who can.
  2.  Efficiency in service. With the advances of technology, customers do not expect to have to repeat steps or be inconvenienced when receiving service. For example, some organizations require that credit card and personal information be entered on a computer screen or through an automated phone system when ordering or calling with questions or problems. When the customer is then connected to an agent, they are often asked to repeat their information.
  3.  Prompt response. Another one of the trends in customer service crucial in satisfying today’s customers is prompt service. The days of accepting “Someone will get back to you within twenty-four hours” are over. Customers see progressive companies using multichannel service response systems (e.g. online FAQ, customer care center 24/7/365, access through mobile technology, automated voice response systems, email, and chats) to ensure availability and response to customer needs, wants and expectations. They expect all companies to follow a similar model.
  4.  Human interaction. The automated response might be acceptable in some situations if it provides the information or satisfies customer needs. However, efficient human contact is typically the preferred means of response for most customers. The key is that the humans involved need to be well-trained, competent and knowledgeable, not scripted. They also need to be fluent in the native language of the majority of the company’s customers.
  5.  Service effectiveness over fluff. Incentive programs are nice, but what typically keeps customers coming back is that timely, effective and friendly customer service. This helps organizational efficiency and enhances customer loyalty. Meeting the needs wants and expectations of a diverse customer base will often win out over a free refill, discount off next purchase or a “buy 10; get one free” loyalty program offer.
  6. Low tolerance for errors. In a world where companies like FedEx promised “When it Absolutely, Positively has to be there overnight,” computers have spellcheck to help catch errors, and many companies have unconditional guarantees to make it right when something goes wrong, customers are not as likely to accept excuses.  They expect companies to live up to their promises and what they put on their websites. They also expect that all employees are empowered to make decisions and fix problems without having to get their supervisor.
  7. Free shipping.  For years, leading companies like Zappos, Amazon, L.L. Bean, Lands End have been offering free shipping, and in some cases free return shipping. This can result in big savings if someone regularly orders from a company or places large orders.

There are many other customer service trends of which you and your organization should be aware of in order to meet the needs, wants and expectations of your customers. Take time to search the Internet for additional articles, read books on customer service trends, and attend customer service conferences and training sessions on the topic. Do whatever it takes to better prepare to meet changing customer expectations and help ensure customer satisfaction.

What customer service trends have you identified in dealing with your own customers or talking to others? Share them with other readers.

Making Customer Service a Strategic Organizational Initiative

Making Customer Service a Strategic Organizational Initiative

In case you have not been paying attention in recent years, many time-honored national and international organizations have disappeared or are struggling to remain competitive. In most instances, this can be attributed to the fact that managers and executives have not effectively predicted societal changes. To compound the problem, they did not invest adequate resources into technology and hiring and training customer service representatives. Such neglect typically leads to employees ineffectively providing service levels expected by their customers. Often, the root cause is that decision-makers fail to make customer service a strategic organizational initiative.

In a global marketplace where the nearest competitor is likely to be only a mouse click away, inadequately planning or failing to restructure changing demands usually has dire consequences. The organizations that are prospering in the world are those that have focused on customer service as a strategic initiative.

What companies do you believe make customer service a strategic organizational initiative?

Many successful small businesses have realized that they cannot compete with larger national groups on technology, salaries, and other high-cost elements. What they can do is build a solid team of employees, treat them well, train them and make customer service a distinctive factor in doing business with customers. The result is typically increased customer satisfaction, enhanced customer loyalty, and reduced customer churn.

Some organizations that have paid the price for not adopting customer service as a strategic organizational initiative include:

  • Radio Shack
  • Borders Books
  • Blockbuster
  • Circuit City

Other well-known organizations are struggling to remain profitable:

  • Sears
  • K-Mart
  • JCPenney
  • Best Buy
  • U.S. Postal Service

Why do such failures occur? In many instances, because the management of the organizations fail to foresee coming customer service trends and do not effectively address changing customer needs, wants and expectations, such as:

  • Consumer buying pattern shifts (e.g. online and over the telephone rather than coming to a store).
  • Enhanced technology capabilities (e.g. Internet, mobile devices usage, and customer care centers) to provide state-of-the-art service 24/7/365.
  • Societal shifts that impact consumer spending (e.g. working from home).
  • Global competition. Many organizations now conduct B2B and business-to-consumer operations via technology where they can reach far beyond their normal geographic location. Customers now buy globally rather than just locally.
  • Geopolitical changes (e.g. free trade agreements). These open borders for trade and produce competitors from around the world.
  • Changing demographics and values. A more diverse customer base with varying needs shop today and people move from one location to another. These customers do not leave their cultural and personal preferences behind. All of this impacts product and service decision making and buying.

The reality is that customers have many choices for the same or similar products and services in today’s world. If an organization and its employees do not place customers at the top of their priority list when making decisions, it is quite likely that they may not get a second chance to work with a customer.

The effort to make customer service a strategic organizational initiative starts at the top and flows down to front line employees. For ideas on the knowledge and customer service skills that every employee needs to help make customer service a competitive distinction within his or her organization, check out Customer Service Skills for Success and Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service Across Cultures.

Customer Service Skills for Success 6th by Robert W. Lucas Now Available

Customer Service Skills for Success 6th by Robert W. Lucas Now Available
Customer Service Skills for Success 6th by Robert W. Lucas Now Available

Customer Service Skills for Success 6th by Robert W. Lucas Now Available

The top-selling customer service textbook in the United States, Customer Service Skills for Success by Robert W. Lucas, is now in print from McGraw-Hill. This 6th edition includes a four-color layout with more images to enhance the content and a completely changed graphic appearance.

In the book, readers will find real-world customer service issues and provides a variety of updated resources, activities, and examples for customer service representatives at different levels in an organization. It also includes tips from the author and other active professionals in the industry designed to gain and hold readers’ interest while providing additional insights into the concepts and skills related to customer service that is found throughout the book.

The text begins with a macro view of what customer service involves today and provides projections for the future of the customer service profession, then focuses on specific customer service skills and related topics.

Here’s what readers will find inside the book:

Part One – The Profession

  • The Customer Service Profession
  • Contributing to the Service Culture

Part Two – Skills for Success

  • Verbal Communication Skills
  • Nonverbal Communication Skills
  • Listening Skills

Part Three – Building and Maintaining Relationships

  • Customer Service and Behavior
  • Service Breakdowns and Service Recovery
  • Customer Service in a Diverse World
  • Customer Service via Technology’
  • Encouraging Customer Loyalty

This book answers everything from “What is Customer Service?” to “How do I handle a variety of diverse customers in various customer service situations?”.

To gain thousands of ideas, strategies and customer service tips for interacting successfully with internal and external customers in any type of customer service environment and deliver excellent customer service, get a copy of Customer Service Skills for Success 6th edition.

Why Internet Sales Revenue Continues to Climb over five years

 Why Internet Sales Revenue Continues to Climb over Five YearsInternet Sales Revenue Continues to Climb from 2012-2017

Ever since customers discovered the value and savings in time, effort and money from using the Internet to shop for products and services, the world has not been the same.

Revenue generated from electronic commerce (eCommerce) continues its upward climb each year. According to eMarketer.com (April 2013), U.S. eCommerce sales are expected to almost double between 2012 and 2017, going from 225.5 billion t0  434.2 billion in revenue by 2017.

This type of volume justifies business owners and others with products and services to sell on the Internet and through other eCommerce sources to invest in training employees how to effectively deliver the best possible customer service through technology.

For ideas and strategies on how to effectively deliver stellar customer service using technology, get copies of Customer Service Skills for Success and How to Be  Great Call Center Representative.

About Robert C. Lucas

Bob Lucas has been a trainer, presenter, customer service expert, and adult educator for over four decades. He has written hundreds of articles on training, writing, self-publishing, and workplace learning skills and issues. He is also an award-winning author who has written thirty-seven books on topics such as, writing, relationships, customer service, brain-based learning, and creative training strategies, interpersonal communication, diversity, and supervisory skills.

Additionally, he has contributed articles, chapters, and activities to eighteen compilation books. Bob retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1991 after twenty-two years of active and reserve service.

Bob Lucas B.S., M.A., M.A, CPLP is the principal in Robert W. Lucas Enterprises, Inc and an internationally-known author; learning and performance professionals. He has written and contributed to numerous books on the subject of customer service skill training.

He regularly conducts workshops on creative training, train-the-trainer, customer service, interpersonal communication, and management,
and supervisory skills.

Learn more about Bob and his organization at www.robertwlucas.com and follow his blogs at www.robertwlucas.com/wordpress,
www.customerserviceskillsbook.com, and www.thecreativetrainer.com. Like Bob at www.facebook.com/robertwlucasenterprises

Customer Service Tip for Adult Educators

Customer Service Tip for Adult Educators

The face of higher education is continuing to evolve. Ethnicity, the numbers of attendees in terms of age and sex, expectations, the manner in which information is delivered and virtually every aspect of the way you do business and education has been touched in some way by events over which you sometimes have no control.

Customer Service Tip for Adult Educators

Things such as world events, the economy, changing technology, competition from new sources, and the values of learners shift rapidly. The potential student population is also expected to grow in coming years as Generation Yers (Millennials – 1980s to early 2000s) are aging, since this is the largest generation behind the Boomers (1946-1964).

The one aspect of the whole process over which you and your organization do have control  — is the level and quality of service that you and your institution provide to your customers – your students.

To deal with this trend…

If you remember nothing else related to customer service, think about this. EVERYONE that you and your institution come into contact is either a customer or potential customer! If you can get your mind around that fact and treat students and their caregivers with the best quality of service possible; then, you have tremendous opportunity to compete effectively with all other institutions of higher learning and knowledge sources.

This action alone can lead to customer loyalty and positive word-of-mouth publicity for you as an educator and your institution.

For information, ideas and strategies on how to deliver excellent customer service get copies of Customer Service Skills for Success and Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service Across Cultures

About Robert C. Lucas

Bob Lucas has been a trainer, presenter, customer service expert, and adult educator for over four decades. He has written hundreds of articles on training, writing, self-publishing, and workplace learning skills and issues. He is also an award-winning author who has written thirty-seven books on topics such as, writing, relationships, customer service, brain-based learning, and creative training strategies, interpersonal communication, diversity, and supervisory skills. Additionally, he has contributed articles, chapters, and activities to eighteen compilation books. Bob retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1991 after twenty-two years of active and reserve service.

Black Friday Stats Show a Huge Success

Black Friday Stats Show a Huge Success

Each year, online and brick and mortar retailers strive to increase sales and revenues generated around the period of Thanksgiving and Black Friday. This year was no exception, with many companies offering pre-Black Friday deals followed by Cyber Monday opportunities to attract customers and generate sales, customers were treated to an extended period of sales bargains.

Black Friday Stats Show 2013 Was a Huge Success

According to a Vancouver, Canada-based company (Wishpond Technologies Ltd.- a local shopping platform that connects online consumers with local merchants through the web, mobile, social media and partner platforms), 2013 was a huge success.

Here are some Black Friday statistics that the company shared through a presentation on the website Slideshare:

  • $12.3 billion was the overall brick-and-mortar store sales for Thanksgiving  and Black Friday 2013 – up 2.3% from 2012 (source: CNN Money)
  • $1.964 billion was the overall online sales for Thanksgiving and Black Friday  – up over 18.5% from 2012 (source: TechCrunch)
  • The average 2013 Black Friday online order was $135.27 – that’s up 2.2%  year-over-year (source: TechCrunch)
  • Black Friday online mentions peaked at 11 am CST (source: Forbes)
  • Walmart dominated in Black Friday mentions, with 77.5% of the voice (source:  Forbes)
  • But… 4 to 1 those Walmart mentions were negative (with words like “fight”  “fought” and “fighting”) (source: Forbes)
  • Pinterest vs. Facebook 7 Pinterest dominates in direct sales. Referrals from  the site spent 77% more than those from Facebook: $92.51 – average Pinterest  order $52.30 – average Facebook order (source: Forbes)
  • Pinterest vs. Facebook 8 But… Facebook referrals converted sales at nearly  4x’s the rate of Pinterest (source: TechCrunch)
  • Mobile traffic: Grew to 39.7% of all online traffic – that’s an increase of  34% over Black Friday 2012 (source: TechCrunch)
  • Mobile sales: reached 21.8% of total online sales – that’s an increase of  nearly 43% from last year (source: TechCrunch)
  • 24.9% of all online traffic on Black Friday came from smartphones – that  compares to tablets at 14.2% (source: TechCrunch)
  • How do you pay? PayPal reported a 121% increase in global mobile payments compared to Black Friday 2012 (source: TechCrunch).

About Robert C. Lucas

Bob Lucas has been a trainer, presenter, customer service expert, and adult educator for over four decades. He has written hundreds of articles on training, writing, self-publishing, and workplace learning skills and issues. He is also an award-winning author who has written thirty-seven books on topics such as, writing, relationships, customer service, brain-based learning, and creative training strategies, interpersonal communication, diversity, and supervisory skills.

Additionally, he has contributed articles, chapters, and activities to eighteen compilation books. Bob retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1991 after twenty-two years of active and reserve service.

Bob Lucas B.S., M.A., M.A, CPLP is the principal in Robert W. Lucas Enterprises, Inc and an internationally-known author; learning and performance professionals. He has written and contributed to numerous books on the subject of customer service skill training.

He regularly conducts workshops on creative training, train-the-trainer, customer service, interpersonal communication, and management,
and supervisory skills.

Learn more about Bob and his organization at www.robertwlucas.com and follow his blogs at www.robertwlucas.com/wordpress,
www.customerserviceskillsbook.com, and www.thecreativetrainer.com. Like Bob at www.facebook.com/robertwlucasenterprises

Customer Satisfaction Levels – Maybe Not as Bad as We Think

Customer Satisfaction Levels - Maybe Not as Bad as We Think

Customer Satisfaction Levels – Maybe Not as Bad as We Think

It seems like everyone you talk to has a tale of a customer service situation gone bad. Is it because service is really getting worse or is it that people are just so frustrated with the economy, healthcare, politics, world events and other aspects of their lives that they need to vent about something.  Even so, customer service may not be all that bad after all in many instances.

In a survey by Robert W. Lucas Enterprises, people were asked the following:

On a scale of 1-10 (10 being highest), what is the average score you would give based on customer service that you have received in the past week from various providers? According to over 82 percent of respondents, the range was 6-8.”

On a scale of 1-10 (10 being highest), rate the general effectiveness of customer service in most organizations today.  According to over 71 percent of respondents, the range was “5-7.”

While not stellar in the implications, and while leaving an opportunity for improvement, maybe service is not as dismal as we sometimes think.

Want suggestions on how to improve the service that you and your organization provide to your customers? Get copies of Customer Service Skills for Success, Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service Across Cultures and How to Be  Great Call Center Representative by Robert W. Lucas.

About Robert C. Lucas

Bob Lucas has been a trainer, presenter, customer service expert, and adult educator for over four decades. He has written hundreds of articles on training, writing, self-publishing, and workplace learning skills and issues. He is also an award-winning author who has written thirty-seven books on topics such as, writing, relationships, customer service, brain-based learning, and creative training strategies, interpersonal communication, diversity, and supervisory skills. Additionally, he has contributed articles, chapters, and activities to eighteen compilation books. Bob retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1991 after twenty-two years of active and reserve service.

Make Money Writing Books: Proven Profit Making Strategies for Authors by Robert W. Lucas at Amazon.com.

The key to successfully making money as an author and/or self-publisher is to brand yourself and your company and to make yourself and your book(s) a household name. Part of this is face-to-face interaction with people at trade shows, library events, book readings, book store signings, blogging or guest blogging on a topic related to their book(s). Another strategy involves writing articles and other materials that show up online and are found when people search for a given topic related to a topic about which the author has written.

If you need help building an author platform, branding yourself and your book(s) or generating recognition for what you do, Make Money Writing Books will help. Bob’s popular book addresses a multitude of ideas and strategies that you can use to help sell more books and create residual and passive income streams. The tips outlined in the book are focused to help authors but apply to virtually any professional trying to increase personal and product recognition and visibility.

The Impact of Consumer Behavioral Shifts on Customer Service

The Impact of Consumer Behavioral Shifts on Customer Service

In the past, many consumers took a “money is no object” approach to shopping because, if they did not have cash readily available, they had several pieces of plastic in their wallet that allowed them to spend (often beyond their means). This was possible because financial institutions were doling out these instruments of commerce in a very haphazard manner to virtually all who looked like they could potentially repay what they spent. Unfortunately, that practice proved to be highly flawed. As a result, the financial institutions that let credit practices run rampant fell like proverbial dominos and took along the world’s economy with them. In the aftermath of this economic carnage, many consumers have had a reality check and have learned that prudence is an important element of commerce. Plainly speaking, consumer behavior has changed and many customers now realize that “if they do not have the money, they should not spend it!”

To counter the economic recession, consumers did a turn-around with many of them cutting out non-essentials. They also began to reassess the need for certain brand name products and services that were not essential to health and well-being. In addition, many people made a conscious decision to switch to more generic products that met their needs but had a much smaller retail price.

The impact of such shifts in behavior on service is that customer service representatives and their organizations have been inspired to step back and examine their approach to meeting customer needs, wants and expectations. They are also strengthening their service practices, employee knowledge, and skill levels and revamping their policies and procedures.

For ideas and strategies on how to identify and address consumer behavior, get a copy of Customer Service Skills for Success and Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service Across Cultures

About Robert C. Lucas

Bob Lucas has been a trainer, presenter, customer service expert, and adult educator for over four decades. He has written hundreds of articles on training, writing, self-publishing, and workplace learning skills and issues. He is also an award-winning author who has written thirty-seven books on topics such as, writing, relationships, customer service, brain-based learning, and creative training strategies, interpersonal communication, diversity, and supervisory skills. Additionally, he has contributed articles, chapters, and activities to eighteen compilation books. Bob retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1991 after twenty-two years of active and reserve service.

Make Money Writing Books: Proven Profit Making Strategies for Authors by Robert W. Lucas at Amazon.com.

The key to successfully making money as an author and/or self-publisher is to brand yourself and your company and to make yourself and your book(s) a household name. Part of this is face-to-face interaction with people at trade shows, library events, book readings, book store signings, blogging or guest blogging on a topic related to their book(s). Another strategy involves writing articles and other materials that show up online and are found when people search for a given topic related to a topic about which the author has written.

If you need help building an author platform, branding yourself and your book(s) or generating recognition for what you do, Make Money Writing Books will help. Bob’s popular book addresses a multitude of ideas and strategies that you can use to help sell more books and create residual and passive income streams. The tips outlined in the book are focused to help authors but apply to virtually any professional trying to increase personal and product recognition and visibility.

Impact of the Economy on Customer Service Representatives

Impact of the Economy on Customer Service Representatives

Impact of the Economy on Customer Service Representatives

On an individual level, customer service representatives should be researching and upgrading their knowledge and skills related to dealing with people from around the world. This means, reading more articles and books on various cultures, customer service, and human behavior, attending training programs, taking educational courses, attending more conferences focused on customer service and generally becoming attuned to the world around them. This enhanced perspective and environmental knowledge will provide tools necessary to provide the best customer service possible.

Not since the 1980s have economic indicators (e.g., stock trades, home sales, purchases, international transactions, and construction) been in such turmoil worldwide. Many people have lost jobs, personal savings are dwindling, people are losing their homes, and spending is down greatly around the world. As the economy took a downward spiral in the latter part of the first decade in the twenty-first century, consumer confidence shifted, many organizations struggled to provide quality service levels with reduced staff, and budgets and revenue from products and services slipped for most organizations as consumers held onto precious cash.

In addition to government policy and economic changes, new legislation impacting healthcare and taxes, job elimination in the government sector, and shifts in consumer spending have significantly impacted many organizations, forcing downsizings and in many cases closures. This is especially true in small businesses where a Gallop Poll of small business owners found that “30 percent of owners say they are not hiring because they are worried they may no longer be in business in 12 months.” Further, 66 percent of those interviewed said they were worried about the current state of the economy and its impact on business. Obviously, this has long-term implications for hiring in the service industry and for consumers who have been curtailing their buying habits since the start of the recession out of the same fears that business owners are experiencing.

According to an interview comment by Phil Rist, executive vice president of BIGinsight, a consumer-centric information portal, “Events that have transpired over the past four years have forever changed consumers, and this is evidenced in what they deem expendable and untouchable purchases. The financial meltdown, natural disasters, and the threat of terrorism have sent shock waves through consumers and impacted their priorities. The added layer of advancing technology has changed how they research and make purchases . . . the retail landscape will likely never be the same.”

Overall, consumers do business as never before. Large numbers of customers search and do their homework for products and services online and often use retail outlets as a showroom to physically examine things they are interested in potentially purchasing. The result is that sales in brick-and-mortar stores are down for many retailers and suppliers. Best Buy instituted a price-matching strategy in March 2013 to combat this shop-around practice. They decided to match prices for all product categories against all local retail competitors and major online operations such as Apple.com, Dell.com, hhgregg.com, homedepot.com, Lowes.com, and other highly recognized retailers.

Another important factor related to the changes in the economic environment that have occurred in recent years is that many companies have made dramatic shifts in the way they do business and attempt to attract and hold customers. They are reevaluating their pricing and presentation of products and services, as well as, their policies and procedures for providing service. People and technology are being harnessed in different ways to allow them to compete in a global society. The approach to customer service in many instances is no longer “business as usual.” Instead of viewing it as something that should be done well, most organizations now see it as something that must be done. Managers have realized that they can no longer maintain the status quo and do things like they always have if they plan to stay in business and generate profits.

Impact of the Economy on Customer Service Representatives

Because of the financial meltdown that occurred during the high point of the recession, many organizations that have been household names for decades and had international presence have cut back severely on the size of their workforce and sold off, merged, or closed operations. They have also have taken dramatic steps to attract and keep customers. Companies like Chrysler, General Motors (GM), Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, and American Express received funds through the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 from the U.S. federal government to remain financially solvent. In addition, companies struggled (and still do in many instances) to find a balance between profitability and providing quality service. For example, companies like Sears, J.C. Penney, Best Buy, Dell, Borders Books, Hollywood Studios, Blockbuster, and other notable companies have continually juggled their retail and service policies since 2010 in an effort to remain competitive and stay in business. Some succeeded while others did not. All of this turmoil and change has had an adverse impact on the economy, the service industry, and ultimately employees and potential employees.

For more information on how the customer service profession is changing and the skills, customer service representatives need to succeed in providing quality customer service, get a copy of Customer Service Skills for Success.

About Robert C. Lucas

Bob Lucas has been a trainer, presenter, customer service expert, and adult educator for over four decades. He has written hundreds of articles on training, writing, self-publishing, and workplace learning skills and issues. He is also an award-winning author who has written thirty-seven books on topics such as, writing, relationships, customer service, brain-based learning, and creative training strategies, interpersonal communication, diversity, and supervisory skills. Additionally, he has contributed articles, chapters, and activities to eighteen compilation books. Bob retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1991 after twenty-two years of active and reserve service.

Make Money Writing Books: Proven Profit Making Strategies for Authors by Robert W. Lucas at Amazon.com.

The key to successfully making money as an author and/or self-publisher is to brand yourself and your company and to make yourself and your book(s) a household name. Part of this is face-to-face interaction with people at trade shows, library events, book readings, book store signings, blogging or guest blogging on a topic related to their book(s). Another strategy involves writing articles and other materials that show up online and are found when people search for a given topic related to a topic about which the author has written.

If you need help building an author platform, branding yourself and your book(s) or generating recognition for what you do, Make Money Writing Books will help. Bob’s popular book addresses a multitude of ideas and strategies that you can use to help sell more books and create residual and passive income streams. The tips outlined in the book are focused to help authors but apply to virtually any professional trying to increase personal and product recognition and visibility.

Thanks for visiting our website!  If you need or want a copy of this content - please contact the author to request purchasing it. Thank you!